1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic audio/visual signal receivers capable of processing multiple video signal formats and, more particularly, to an audio/visual signal receiver capable of processing multiple video signal formats and having a video input operative to receive multiple video signal formats.
2. Background Information
Electronic audio/visual signal receivers of today, such as monitors, televisions, or television signal receivers, are capable of receiving and processing either a VGA-type signal from a computer so that the audio/visual signal receivers can be used as a computer monitor, or a digital television signal (a DTV signal such as and encompassing standard definition television, SDTV, or high definition television, HDTV) so that the audio/visual signal receivers can be used as a television.
A typical VGA-type signal is an RGB signal from a computer or multi-sync component. The RGB signal comprises a component video signal in an RGB color space. A DTV-type signal usually comprises a YUV component video signal in a YUV color space. While the two video signal formats are both component video formats, the two component video signal formats are not compatible.
YUV formats fall into two distinct groups namely, a packed format and a planar format. The packed format is where Y, U, and V samples are packed together into macropixels that are stored in a single array. The planar format is where each component is stored as a separate array, the final image being a fusing of the three separate planes.
In both YUV formats, however, Y is the luminance signal, while U and V are the chrominance (color) signals or color difference signals. U and V are constructed by extracting the luminance signal alternatively from the color signals (Red and Blue). The U color-difference signal is Blue minus Y and the V is Red minus Y. The luminance image (Y) will usually be transmitted 25 to 30 times per second. The two color difference signals are transmitted with one-half the bandwidth but are still transmitted at 25 to 30 times per second. YUV, is known as YPbPr, Y/R−Y/B−Y, YCrCb, YPrPb, is thus a digital television signal color space format for digital television signals. The YUV system is also known as “equiband” or Y, R−Y, B−Y.
Both the RGB format and the YUV format thus require three separate cables or conductor for transmitting the video information with one more cable or conductor for audio information.
In some cases, these electronic audio/visual signal receivers are capable of receiving and processing multiple video signal formats or both RGB and YUV format video signals. The audio/visual signal receivers however, must have multiple video inputs, one for each video format (i.e. one for RGB and one for YUV). Currently, a single component video input cannot accommodate multiple component video formats.